The Canal District, experiencing multiple business turnovers since its “renaissance” alongside the introduction of Polar Park, saw another handful of closures in quick succession last month. What factors led to these closures, and is the city adequately addressing these concerns?
WORCESTER—The Canal District has established itself as a fan-favorite Worcester neighborhood for shopping, dining and entertainment. But recently, there have been numerous business closures in the area, and that’s got people asking important questions.
These closures include award-winning restaurant Lock 50, farm-to-table grocery store Maker to Main and the District Wood Fired Kitchen.
When Maker to Main announced its closing, owner Lynn Cheney posted on its Facebook page, but with a longer message that cited issues of foot traffic and debt. “After 12 years of grassroots efforts hauling local food, numerous awards, endless business pivots, and millions of dollars to local farmers, brewers + makers I can no longer afford to continue,” a section of the message reads.
Other businesses that closed a little longer ago include The Hangover Pub and Broth, Buck’s Whiskey and Burger Bar, and Smokestack Urban Barbecue. Maddi’s Cookery and TapHouse also announced on their Instagram that they were closing back in the fall of 2022. “It’s with a heavy heart that due to circumstances beyond our control, we will be ceasing operations as of next weekend,” owner Adam Hicks wrote. “It’s been a great 4+ years and we [can’t] thank our [guests] and staff enough.”
In 2021, the Red Sox Triple-A farm team relocated from Pawtucket, Rhode Island, to Worcester, with the WooSox establishing its home in Polar Park, a new $160 million stadium predominantly funded by the city. Advocates for the park and Canal District revitalization saw it as a significant asset for the city, with a particular focus on the neighborhood. However, the community and businesses have shown a varied response since its inception.
After a handful of businesses shuttered following the first season for the Worcester Red Sox at Polar Park, some pointed to the issue of finding parking in the area as a contributing factor for at least some of the closures.
When Smokestack Urban Barbeque on Green Street disappointed its loyal customers with an announcement on Facebook in November of 2022, it marked the sixth Canal District in a short amount of time that hit the brakes.
Despite the shake-ups over the last few years, local city officials, business leaders, and Canal District business managers remain hopeful about the area’s prospects as a central hub for dining, bars, and retail. This optimism is partly based on the anticipated influx of residents from new apartment projects nearing completion, which is expected to breathe new life into the neighborhood. The Polar Park and Kelley Square redesign are a few examples of other advancements in the area.
City Manager Eric Batista acknowledged the parking challenges but said there are plans to support businesses.
“As an urban area grows and evolves, it does result in change,” Batista told the Worcester Guardian on Tuesday. “Thriving, walkable cities do not have an abundance of surface parking lots because those surface parking lots take the place of what could be additional businesses, housing, or other productive uses.”
Batista added that there are more than 3,500 municipally owned parking spaces within a 10-minute walk in the Canal District.
“We continue to work collaboratively with the businesses in the district to understand their experiences and how the City of Worcester can support them,” he said. “Polar Park draws more than 500,000 people to the district annually for baseball games and thousands more for non-baseball events hosted at the facility. We believe that kind of activity creates an opportunity for business growth and expansion. It should be noted that the businesses in the Canal District offer a variety of goods and services, so their experiences are likely varied.”
“The addition of new people year-round in the District will be helpful,” said Sen. Robyn Kennedy, D-Worcester. “I also just had the opportunity to visit the new apartment building across from Polar Park. Once that building starts to fill up with tenants, and foot traffic increases year-round, that will certainly be a helpful factor for the Canal District.”
Amy Chase, second president of the Canal District Alliance, alluded to the small business culture as the driving force behind the city’s economy. “Small business is the economic engine of a city like Worcester,” she said. “It’s always sad to see businesses close or struggling. We are the fastest growing and most dense small business part of the city right now so it’s normal to have growing pains. Each business had unique experiences that were not location-related.”
Alexis Kelleher, owner of Birch Tree Bread Co. and Crust Bakeshop, echoed Chase’s thoughts.
“The whole area is changing and has been for a long time,” she told the Worcester Guardian. “I don’t believe there is one singular reason [for the closures]. There are some new challenges as well as some old, familiar ones. Labor, cost of goods sold, and rents are up — creating huge hurdles for restaurants (who have historically struggled with razor-thin profit margins to begin with). There is a lot of shuffling we need to do as business owners to look for new, better methods that fit within our business philosophy and model.”
Mirna Cazares, owner of El Patron Mexican Restaurant on Harding Street, cites parking in the area as a major obstacle to success for some businesses.
“Sometimes customers come in just to pick up take-out and when they leave they have a ticket on their car and don’t come back to visit us again,” she said.
According to another business owner, Polar Park has negatively impacted parking and businesses in the Canal District, compared to what was originally expected. “In my experience, Polar Park often affects the parking system in a negative way,” said Jose Cervini, owner of Loly’s Chicken. “Also when people leave the park they are already eating. Sometimes people drink at the bars in the Canal District but it is not what was expected for so many people.”
Efforts are underway to support small businesses in navigating these changes, with the Canal District Alliance, a nonprofit that supports revitalization efforts in the district, working closely with the city and Polar Park to highlight the importance of community support.
Chase argued that Polar Park has benefitted the District, rather than hurt it. She described one of the recent programs to encourage business in the District. “I think the WooSox are making an effort to collaborate with area businesses,” she said. “Last year, they created a program called WooSox Rewards. which gives ballpark, attendees points for visiting area businesses and they are working on growing that program this year, and adding even more businesses.”
“Polar Park has been, without a doubt, a positive impact on the Canal District and the city of Worcester,” said Jeff Mararian, owner of 107 Tap. “Without that project, you would not see the additional development in the immediate area, especially in regards to housing. It will take some time to get all the projects done and full occupancy but the district will have a lot more people living, dining, buying, and spending money.”
Other business owners sense positivity as well. “I am excited for Worcester to continue to grow and evolve,” Kelleher told the Worcester Guardian. “I love our space at Birch Tree so much and I think that we can continue to adapt and grow around the needs of our patrons… For our business, we are currently working on a pretty big renovation at our Crust Main Street location to add more seating and make the space cozier. We are always playing with new products and menu items, which can be a lot of fun!”
Rep. John Mahoney, D-Worcester, remarked on how although some businesses suffered during COVID, there’s been a huge turnaround since, with a positive outlook ahead. “I was down at Birch Tree recently, maybe about a month ago, and it was very busy, which is good,” said Mahoney.
Other business owners, such as Mararian, remain upbeat about the district’s future, citing a growing clientele and the potential for increased foot traffic as more people move into the neighborhood.
“The thing I am looking forward to most in the coming years,” he said, “is to watch the new residents, and development that has been in the works be completed, and see what new business come to the neighborhood to meet the demand of the growing residential population in the area.”
Mararian also mentioned that he does not see parking as a contributor to recent business closures in the area. “The location of 107 Tap is great, as it is also surrounded by other great bars and restaurants,” he added, “so we all work with each other to give people an area to come visit and have options from great food, live music, pool, karaoke, etc., which allows any number of people to have a variety of things to do all in one close area. We are also next to the municipal parking lot on Water Street, so we are a very short walk to get to for people who do not use ridesharing.”
City officials remain committed to supporting the Canal District’s evolution. “For me, it’s about centering the voice of the businesses down in that area,” Kennedy said. “What are their struggles, and what are their pain points, what do they need from us to succeed?” she added.
“Worcester is home,” Kelleher said. “I grew up here and I moved around, but I always knew I would be back. I think the community is very supportive.” Kelleher stressed that both Crust and Birch Tree have been in business for 10 years, all while facing lean times and unique challenges, including the literal unprecedented and uncertain times of the pandemic. “But the community has supported us and rallied around us,” she said.
“Ultimately, our vision for the Canal District, through years of collaboration with the neighborhood stakeholders, is to create a dynamic environment where folks can live, work and play,” said Batista.
Matt Olszewski is a freelance content and news writer based in Boston. In his free time, Matt enjoys running, hiking or skiing. Matt is currently finishing up the MPH degree program at Tufts University. He can be reached at mattoskier@gmail.com
